Victor Wembanyama made his Summer League debut for the San Antonio Spurs in front of a sold-out crowd in Las Vegas on Friday night.
Victor Wembanyama’s NBA career got off to a bit of a slow start on Friday night.
Wembanyama, in front of a sold-out crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, scored nine points with eight rebounds and five blocks in his first Summer League game. Wembanyama shot just 2-of-13 from the field, about 15%, in the San Antonio Spurs’ 76-68 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
The Spurs officially selected Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft last month. The nearly 7-foot-4 center has been touted as the best NBA prospect since LeBron James and has been turning heads in France. He’s the first No. 1 overall pick to ever come out of France and is the first European player to go first in the draft without playing NCAA college basketball since 2006.
He’s coming off a season in the French LNB Pro A league where he led the league in points, rebounds, and blocks while both earning the league MVP and leading his team to the Finals.
Miller, who went No. 2 overall in the draft, led the Hornets with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Bryce McGowens added 15 points, and James Bouknight finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.
Though Wembanyama’s debut wasn’t as flashy as many may have liked, there’s no reason to overreact. The 19-year-old has played in only one Summer League game so far. He’s got plenty of time to settle into the league.
